Closure
by pippa-pie
Summary: When Rua is away for a few months at Overseas Duel Academy, Ruka becomes awfully lonely. When she returns to the Spirit World, it opens a secret box of emotions her parents and others have shut up for a long time. Can they get her to return?
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Closure

**Summary: **When Rua is away for a few months at Overseas Duel Academy, Ruka becomes awfully lonely. When she returns to the Spirit World, it opens a secret box of emotions her parents and others have shut up for a long time. Can they get her to return?

**Notes: **Set apart from canon. This chapter was written _long_ ago (before I even made my account, I think), but only recently touched up and published. So, please forgive any errors.

**Rating: **K+

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds

* * *

><p>Ruka swallowed hard as she watched her brother's plane take off into the sky. Aki squeezed her shoulder comfortingly and Yusei watched her with concern on his face. Jack, Crow, and Bruno held back, leaning against the wall. Ruka looked at her fellow Signers then turned to glance at the plane once more. Her parents weren't even there, 'important business' as always. But still, you would think they'd come to say bye to their son one last time before he took off to overseas Duel Academy for six months.<p>

Ruka turned back sharply to the others and said quietly "Come on, let's go home." As they began walking away, Ruka remembered what had led to this…

* * *

><p>The twins' mother, Kana, gave them a strange, wide smile, her husband Kouhei sitting next to her as the twins entered their living room. Ruka had been surprised, almost shocked, to see them. They were usually gone weeks at a time on business trips, and whenever they returned it would only be for a week or so at most. Even when they were away, they usually only called once every few days with remarks like "Did the maid come by on time today? Did you go on the computer to print out your homework?" (That question had disappeared when they finally started attending Duel Academy).<p>

"Mom? Dad?" Rua exclaimed in surprise. "What are you guys doing here?"

Kana gave a small, strange laugh and asked, "Rua, what do you mean?

Ruka spoke up. "He means, weren't you on a business trip? You're always on a business trip."

Kana answered "Oh, um, yes, but we wanted to tell you kids about this!" Kana gestured for her children to sit on the couch across from her and her husband and slid them a brochure over the glass coffee table.

Ruka picked it up and read aloud "Overseas Duel Academy…Professionals in the making?" Rua leaned in as she turned the page. A picture of a large building, obviously the academy, flanked by a stadium, dorm, and track for turbo duelists.

Kana began talking excitedly, "Look, Rua and Ruka! Wouldn't that be nice? You guys want to be professional duelists when you're older, right? Like your friend, um, what's his name, Yusie?"

"His name's Yu_sei_, Mom" corrected Ruka, not bothering to tell her that it was just Rua who wanted to be the professional turbo duelist.

Kana kept talking, her husband next to her nodding his head at everything she said. "You stay there for around half a year, you can only call once a week though, and they're so focused on learning. I heard from a client that Jack Atlas actually went there as a child! Isn't that amazing, Rua?"

Rua said slowly, "It sounds cool…" He ignored his mother's incorrect assumption about Jack, who actually grew up in the Satellite. Of course, Satellite and city were now one and the same…Kouhei finally added something to his wife's chattering. "Rua, your friend Tenpei's parents are also sending him there start of September." Kouhei paused, and then continued "So…we have already enrolled you."

Ruka dropped the brochure in surprise. Rua gaped at his father with mixed emotions. On one hand, the Academy sounded amazing and he'd be going there with one of his best friends! On the other hand, he was uneasy at the thought of leaving everyone else behind…Ruka was going too though, wasn't she? But why hadn't his parents asked him first _before _paying tuition?

Kana jumped in again. "We could only enroll one child at a time, but tomorrow, Ruka we're going to go on the website again and…"

Ruka, who had been deathly still, muttered something unintelligible. Her gaze was cast downward.

"What did you say, Ruka?"

Ruka lifted her head. Her eyes looked a bit glassy and panicked. "I can't go. I – i- have to stay with the other Signers! Yliaster is still out there and…"

Rua looked slightly alarmed. Going overseas, not seeing anyone for six months…_without his twin?_

Kana, who had only understood half of what Ruka had said, sighed, "Oh Ruka…don't you see what a great opportunity this is?" This was really backfiring…

But Rua was turning it over in his head. He saw Ruka was right; she had to stay with the other Signers. He turned to his dad and told him, "I'm sorry, but if my sister isn't going I can't go either. You have to pull me out!"

Kouhei stared back at his son with sadness, and before Kana could jump in he replied, "Rua…all enrollments are permanent. It'll only be six months."

_Six months away from Yusei and the others. Six months not at home. Six months without your twin…_

* * *

><p>After she and the others returned from the airport, Ruka sat in her bedroom hugging her stuffed bear. The house seemed very big and empty, which of course it was. She turned to her nightstand table next to her. On it sat a framed picture of her, the other Signers, Bruno, and Rua in front of Yusei, Jack, and Crow's place. She remembered Jack's good friend, Carly Nagisa, had been passing by and had taken the picture with her camera. The frame next to that one contained a whole class picture taken not so long ago. The last picture was one Ruka had taken herself; she remembered Carly pointing out to her how to work the professional camera. The picture was taken in the boys' garage: Carly was talking to Jack. Crow and Aki were watching as Yusei and Bruno were tuning up on Aki's Duel Runner, and Rua was nearby, pointing at Ruka herself behind the camera. The weight of the camera in her hands had been strangely satisfying; maybe she'd be a photographer when she was older?<p>

She squeezed the bear tighter; Rua had given it to her when they were three, when she was recovering from being in that coma…she couldn't stop a sad sigh that fell from her lips.

The first week after Rua left wasn't too lonely for Ruka. She tried to avoid staying in the house, with its empty hallways and lack of family; she busied herself with the other Signers and friends at school.

"Aki – neesan?" Ruka said tentatively to Aki one day. The two girl Signers were walking up to the Academy in the morning, other students walking by, chatting and laughing. Ruka continued, "I know he's only been gone one week, but…I miss Rua." Ruka sighed and looked up at the sky.

Aki felt sadness tug at her heart strings. Looking towards Ruka, she replied, "We all miss him, Ruka…I mean, of course I imagine it's harder for you since you guys are always…were always…" Aki tried to get off track of her awkward way of comforting Ruka and changed the subject. "Well, we all get to call him right after Duel Academy today, right? His one call a week, except for emergencies, you know."

Ruka brightened a bit, and still facing skyward wondered aloud. "How do you think that school's going for him so far anyway?"

* * *

><p>Half way across the world, Rua was excelling in his classes for once. The classes were helping him draw out his full potential. Of course he missed everybody back home, his twin included, but his academy kept its pupils busy twenty – four seven. Yet, he found after a long day of lessons, dueling, and riding his duel – board, as he flopped down on his bed to go to sleep, he could almost imagine in the silence he was in his own house. As if he turned his head to glance at the room he'd be able to see the large window showing the streets of the busy city. He imagined when he turned across the room he'd be able to see his sister there, though when he actually did, all he could see in the bed across the room was Tenpei snoring loudly, his glasses askew.<p>

* * *

><p>Slowly but surely, Ruka slowly began missing her brother more and more the longer he was gone. A call once a week was thin gruel compared to always being together, inseparable, two halves of a whole…that's what siblings, twins especially, were, right?<p>

Of course, all her friends noticed and strove to lengths to lift her spirits. Aki introduced her to more plant type cards, seeing how Ruka had worked well with the cards Spore and Bird of Roses so far. Bruno and Yusei tuned her Duel Board to work faster and more efficiently. Even Jack and Crow tried to perk her up. These tactics worked, but only to an extent…the melancholy would settle on her shoulders hours later like a cold snow.

After Rua had been gone for around a month, Ruka walked home from Duel Academy up to her family's penthouse. The sound of one pair of slow footsteps was incredibly lonely. She reached the elevator and began ascending to the top floor. As the elevator came to a stop, right before the doors opened Ruka could hear a pair of voices she immediately recognized as her parents.

Kana was speaking to her husband in a distraught tone. "The plan didn't work out the way we wanted, they were _both_ supposed to leave, or just Ruka at least…so we wouldn't have to worry…"

Ruka froze as the doors opened, revealing her parents deep in a conversation, who stopped at once when the saw their daughter. Ruka stepped out of the elevator and the doors closed behind her.

"Ruka!" exclaimed Kana, giving her a quick hug. "We were just leaving for another trip, we –"

Ruka interrupted her mother. "What were you saying just then?"

Kana turned an embarrassed pink. Kouhei stepped forward and placed his broad hand on his daughter's shoulder, deciding to come clean.

"Ruka," he began in his deep voice, "we originally planned for just you to go to the overseas Duel Academy. We hoped you'd be happier there…well, we thought we could have a lighter conscience leaving you and your brother alone all the time. I know your mom and I aren't here much, and maybe we don't understand everything that goes on with you…" The Dark Signers, being a part of Team 5Ds, Yliaster, why she fell into that coma when she was three and that babble about seeing duel spirits…"At first, it didn't seem necessary to send Rua there, but he's…different too and he'd want to be with you…I'm sorry, but it's a lot to –"

Kouhei was cut off as the elevator doors slid open once again. Standing in the elevator was Aki, a puzzled look placed on her face when she saw Ruka's parents. None of the Signers had ever met the twins' parents.

She addressed the younger Signer, "Ruka, I'm sorry if I dropped by suddenly, but you forgot your deck at school; your teacher gave it to me. I could just put…"

"No, Aki – neesan. Its fine, my parents were just leaving." Ruka said in a cold, flat voice. She stepped backwards, out from under her father's hand and towards Aki. "Weren't you, Mom? Dad?"

Looking helpless, Kana opened her mouth to speak. Before she could, Kouhei shook his head and walked into the elevator as Aki stepped out. He motioned for Kana to follow him and told Ruka "Ruka…we'll call you later and –" He was cut off as the doors shut suddenly, and the twins parents were gone.

Aki looked at the youngest Signer, who was wearing a strange, distant look. "Ruka?" Aki said cautiously. She knew only too well about parent troubles. "Ruka, here's your deck." Aki placed the small, square pink case containing the Fairy deck in Ruka's outstretched hand. The psychic asked gently, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Ruka stood quietly, facing the floor. She remembered what Aki had told her long ago, at the Arcadia Movement…

"_When was the last time you saw your parents? They know something is different about you, and that scares them."_

Back then, Ruka had denied it. But she now knew Aki's words had been true.

Ruka's head suddenly snapped up and she looked Aki in the eye.

"Actually, I feel like having a duel right now. You have your deck, don't you, Aki - neesan?"

A bit taken aback, Aki replied "Yes, but Ruka, you…you really don't like dueling. Because, you know, when you get tired…"

"Aki – neesan, please…I'll tell you everything later but…"

_Dueling. Reminds me of my brother. My parents – you were proud of me when I was prodigy, weren't you? Well, watch me._

* * *

><p>The two Signers began their duel outside by the pool, where Yusei had dueled Rua quite long ago. Aki was still puzzled what had suddenly brought on Ruka's desire to duel.<p>

Ruka had gone first and had summoned, predictably, Spore. Aki had just summoned Witch of the Black Rose and, her mind still half somewhere else, attacked Sunlight Unicorn. Ruka didn't even blink. Her face was still blank, and it scared the redhead. Aki's turn ended and Ruka drew a card.

Kuribon. Ruka remembered another time she had drawn Kuribon. The duel against Professor Frank during the Fortune Cup. He had sent her, once again, to the Duel Monster Spirit World.

_Back…I want to go back…_

Aki watched as Ruka suddenly collapsed in a heap, her Duel Disk shutting. Frantically, she ripped off her own Duel Disk and ran to the young girl who had become like a little sister to her.

"Ruka!" she yelled, grasping the girl's shoulders and gently shaking her. She didn't stir. Aki felt panic flutter in her stomach.

_Did I do something?_ The horrid thought struck Aki's mind and planted itself there. _But I controlled my powers long ago! R-right? _She thought frantically. Had she harmed Ruka? She must have, why else would she collapse mid-duel? Aki's mind reeled.

She was brought back by a sharp pain in her arm. Her mark of the dragon glowed bright red, as did Ruka's mark. "Ruka!" she called again, "Ruka!"

The pink cellphone in Aki's pocket – her parents had given it to her a few months ago – vibrated. She picked it up, knowing who it would be.

"Aki?" Yusei's voice sounded slightly confused. "My mark…and Crow and Jack…what's going on?"

Aki glanced at Ruka once more and swallowed. "Yusei," she said. "I'm taking Ruka to the New Domino Hospital. Meet me there!"

Yusei sounded even more confused "Wait, what? What's going on Ak–"

"Just do it! I think I might have done something!" Aki sounded panicked. "Ruka collapsed while we were dueling, so just meet me there!" She hung up the phone and lifted Ruka into her arms with some difficulty.

"Hang in there." The seventeen year old muttered. What had she done?

She hadn't done anything. It was what Ruka had done.

She was in the Duel Monster Spirit World.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>So…this is my first real multi-chapter story. I have another one (a few other ones, actually) in the works, but I wrote this a long time ago and wanted to finally publish it. The next chapter should be done around next week or sooner ^_^ This story will probably amount to three chapters. _Please_ review!

I really dislike the title, but it works. I know the word 'closure' usually means emotional conclusion to a traumatic event (more or less), but here it really means just an emotional conclusion to many events. You'll see.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Closure

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds.

* * *

><p>"I summon Morphtronic Celfon in attack mode."<p>

Rua grinned as dawning realization appeared on Tenpei's face. Rua was in the perfect position to summon his best monster: Power Tool Dragon.

Being at the academy, he was amazed by how much he was learning each day. The only downside was how much he missed his sister and friends back home. If Tenpei weren't with him, sometimes Rua felt he would race back home.

Yet he had so much on his mind he forgot his loneliness well. For example, their duel midterm was fast approaching.

The teal haired boy's hands twitched towards his synchro deck, when a teacher burst into the Duel Practice Room.

"Rua, you have a call waiting in the headmaster's office. It's urgent," explained the teacher in a level tone.

Rua visibly wilted that his victory was gone, while Tenpei looked slightly relieved he wasn't about to get owned in the duel after all.

"Right now, sensei?" asked Rua. She nodded. The teal haired boy gave a very small sigh and folded up his duel disk. The holographic monsters disappeared.

"Rematch later?" he challenged Tenpei. The glasses wearer folded up his own duel disk and hitched his backpack upon his shoulders.

"Sure thing," Tenpei answered, and he headed out the door to the dorm he and Rua shared. The teacher looked down kindly at the golden eyed boy before her.

"Follow me, please." Rua obeyed. As he trotted down the halls, he wondered what he was needed at the office for.

_Whatever it is, it can't be _that _bad _he thought optimistically. If it went quick, he might even have some time to call Ruka before dinner.

* * *

><p><em>Roughly an hour before in New Domino City…<em>

Yusei sat in the waiting room outside of Ruka's room in the New Domino Hospital. He sighed and covered his face with his hand, tired. One minute he had been working in the garage with Bruno, and the next his mark had lit up like a warning flare. It hadn't burned, as it sometimes did, it just felt…different.

He raised his head as he heard footsteps nearing. It was Jack and Crow; he had called them shortly after he had called Aki and filled them in on the situation to the best of his knowledge, which was pretty much that Aki and Ruka had been dueling, and Aki thought she had somehow injured Ruka.

Yusei doubted it. The doctors had told him the teal-haired Signer had no physical injuries, but was in an inexplicable comatose state.

Yusei spoke to his blonde friend. "So, did you call her parents?" he asked, standing.

Jack nodded. "Yeah; apparently, right before they were about to board a plane. I think they're on their way." Yusei nodded as well.

Crow took a deep breath then looked around the small waiting hall. "Hey, uh, where's Aki?"

"The garden in the back of the hospital. I think she wanted to be alone…she's really upset. She thinks she hurt Ruka, but like I told you, Crow, she doesn't have injuries; she's in a coma -"

"A coma?" Jack cut in sharply. Yusei turned towards Jack, kind of surprised. He nodded yes. Jack furrowed his brow, deep in thought. He was having a flashback; it had seemed another lifetime ago Rex Goodwin had told him information on Ruka during her duel at the Fortune Cup.

When she was three, Ruka had gone in a coma without explanation. According to Goodwin, she had been in the Spirit World. Could it be…?

Jack's thoughts were interrupted by frantic feet slapping on the tile hallway. The three male Signers all looked toward the sound.

There stood Kana and Kouhei; the twin's parents. Kana's cheeks were flushed from running; she tucked a strand of her golden, wavy hair behind her ear. Her brown eyes were glassy. Kouhei stood beside her, a hard-to-pin expression on his face. Though his hair was dark black, he had clearly passed his golden-grey eyes down to his children.

A stream of babble came out of Kana's mouth almost at once. "We came here as soon as you called is Ruka alright oh I knew we shouldn't have -" She stopped abruptly as her husband placed his hand carefully on her shoulder. There was an awkward silence.

Crow's grey eyes traveled between the two Signers and the two parents. Awkwardly, he slowly began to back away. Kana, startled, turned her head toward him. He saw her eyes widen slightly at the numerous marks adorning his face. Mentally, he sighed. Jack and Yusei also saw the small exchange.

"Well, um…I think I'm gonna go talk to Aki, okay, guys?" Without waiting for a reply, the carrot top fled the awkward scene.

The four people were left standing in the hall. Kana cleared her throat and straightened up, as if she had been embarrassed by her recent outburst.

Jack stared hard at the twin's parents, as if trying to piece something together in his mind. He recalled another scrap of info Goodwin had told him regarding Ruka's coma when she was a three-year-old.

"_It could have been emotional, not just having to do with the Crimson Dragon," the silver-haired director had mused, staring out the window shortly after the teal-haired girl's duel. _

_Jack whipped his head to look over at the older man. "What do you mean?"_

_Goodwin looked at the blonde duelist. _

"_Similar to acting out, but in a different way; I imagine she was lonely. Members of her family may have been pressuring her since she was a dueling prodigy."_

Even now, Jack could see the uncertainness in the eyes of the two people before him. Kana began taking steps backwards, almost as if she had regretted coming here. Kouhei shifted; was he thinking of the business trip he had to miss for this?

Something clicked for Jack.

Kouhei started talking slowly, "Maybe…it wasn't the best idea for us to come here. If we left, you would notify us if anything…"

Jack cut off the man suddenly. "You're scared of your own daughter, aren't you?"

Kouhei flinched. Kana's cheeks turned a deeper red. She opened her mouth to protest, but broke under Jack's piercing glare. Words tumbled from her mouth hurriedly.

"We _love _Rua and Ruka; truly, we do," she insisted, drawing her hands over her heart. She sounded as if she was pleading to be believed. "It's just…we never wanted to become attached to Ruka! When she was three and went into a coma, we thought she'd never get out of it. We tried accepting it. And when she did, _of course_ we were thrilled…but she's…strange. So is Rua!"

Kana stumbled forward and continued, "How do you expect us to deal with all these supernatural behaviors we always see in them?" Kana and Kouhei barely had an idea what Signers were, or Yliaster, or Dark Signers. They didn't get any of it. It frightened her. Kana's eyes began to tear up.

Kouhei placed a hand on his wife's shoulder and finished for her. His golden-grey eyes stared into Jack's amethyst ones. "It's hard. We don't understand. We're only human," he said.

Yusei cut in.

"_They're_ only children."

He stared hard at the two priority-confused parents. Kouhei's eyebrows flew up in to his dark hair. Kana looked as if she had been slapped.

Jack returned to the conversation. He usually didn't have much to do with the twins, but he was incensed by the behavior of the two people before him. He had just remembered another thing Goodwin had told him. "Rua believed she would get out of this kind of coma the first time. And now this time, there are five more people who believe the same thing! Unlike you. _You _could never be as brave as your children are! Even if you're afraid of your children, that's the thing - they are still _children_, and they need you to be there for them!" Jack was yelling now.

Kana looked at him as if he had cast things in a different light. It seemed her face would crumple with emotion once more but instead it suddenly smoothed out into a flat expression. She swiftly tuned on her heel and stormed out of the hall.

Kouhei looked down after her, torn. He looked back at the two male Signers. He gave a low breath. "We'll be back…later. Update us if there's a change in Ruka's condition." Kouhei seemed he wanted to say something more, but instead took off after his wife.

In a few moments the hall was silent and empty, save for the two young men left standing there.

Jack felt like punching something. "Those people are idiots," he spat angrily.

Yusei shook his head. "No…not idiots. They just don't know how to cope."

It was quiet for a little while longer. Yusei cleared his throat. He said to his blonde friend, "Ruka is _deep _in that coma."

Now it was Jack who shook his head. "It's not a medical coma; it's an emotional one. She's in the Spirit World."

Yusei blinked toward Jack, wondering how he knew this. "How did she get out of it the first time?" he asked.

Jack flipped through his memories. "She had help. The only one who could bring her back was…" he trailed off and looked at Yusei.

Yusei took out his cellphone and called the operator to get the number of a certain Overseas Duel Academy.

* * *

><p>Rua hitched his bag up on his back and tightened his grip on his suitcase. He was about to enter the transportation bus, accompanied by a teacher who would take him to the airport. He was going home.<p>

The teal-haired boy closed his eyes, recalling the phone conversation he had with Yusei not long ago.

"_Ruka fell into a coma." _

_Rua felt his heart stop. "What? Is she okay?"_

_Yusei paused, and then continued, "Jack doesn't think it's medical. We think she's in the Duel Monster Spirit World._

_And only you can bring her back."_

Rua returned to the present as he heard a yell behind him. He turned.

Tenpei, also with his traveling bags, came up to him, panting.

"Tenpei?" Rua asked in surprise, his eyebrows rising. The glasses-wearer nodded.

"I'm coming with you," he said, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. Rua felt a rush of gratefulness toward the brunette who was one of his best friends. He knew Tenpei would miss finals because of this, but Tenpei was also aware of his sacrifice.

The male twin nodded. He took a deep breath and began to get into the transportation vehicle.

_Ruka…were you really that lonely? I'm sorry. So sorry._

_I'm on my way!_

* * *

><p>Crow weaved throughout the New Domino City Hospital garden. It was a nice place, but he couldn't fully appreciate it. He was too relieved to be away from the awkwardness outside of Ruka's room; he felt if he sat down and had a conversation with the twins' parents, they would not see eye to eye at all.<p>

His own qualms evaporated as he heard soft crying. He quickened his pace a bit, and came upon a young woman clad in red witting upon a stone bench.

"Aki?"

The said person snapped up to look at her fellow Signer. Upon closer examination, Crow saw she held a rose in her hand. Crow recalled her former alias had been the Black Rose Witch. He saw the symbolism when it came to the 'rose' part of the name.

He sat next to her. "It's really pretty…the rose. It suits you," he said, nodding towards the rose. He gave her one of his grins.

The magenta haired girl gave a small, weak smile in response. She looked down at the flora in her hands. "Yeah, it does," she agreed mechanically. Her gloved hands moved down to the dark emerald stem. "As in, it causes pain." Her eyes budded with tear as she tightened her grip, cutting small holes in her dark gloves. Crow's grin disappeared, and he snatched the rose out of Aki's hands before she could really injure herself. He carefully dropped it in the bushes.

Aki looked at him, and then all her emotions poured out of her mouth. "Oh my god, I've been going crazy! I thought…I thought I had controlled my powers! I thought I couldn't hurt innocents anymore…" She jumped to her feet and paced, agonized. "It's all my fault! Who could be next?" She rounded on the carrot-top. "You? Yusei?"

She broke down, weeping. Crow was somewhat terrified at her outburst. It was silent for a bit. Crow finally got up and awkwardly patted his friend on the shoulder.

Quietly, he said, "Um…I'm sure it wasn't your fault. Even if it _was _your powers, we all have to accept accidents happen. No one is perfect."

To his surprise, she suddenly hugged him, her tears dampening his shoulder.

Crow's cheeks darkened. Comforting Aki was usually Yusei's forte, but Crow could apparently do the job as well.

They broke apart as Crow's phone vibrated. The carrot-top flipped open his black cellphone and quickly read the text. He shut it.

Aki looked towards Crow curiously. "Who was that?"

Crow responded by grabbing the claw Signer's hand and leading her out of the garden.

"That was Yusei. See, I told you it wasn't your fault!" Crow grinned.

"I'll explain on the way to Ruka's room. Rua is on his way, and he's going to fix this."

* * *

><p>Author's Note: Wow…writer's block has left me alone so far! It's a miracle. This chapter focused on many characters. Also, I had to include Tenpei. He doesn't get enough love from the fandom, little glasses wearer…Oh, yes; I'm not a Firebirdshipper or a Faithshipper, but it's nice enough to write about these pairings in small doses (for me, at least). Please review!<p>

As for Kana and Kouhei's looks…we know they have those hair colors from the silhouettes we've seen of them from the Fortune Cup arc. I imagine the twin's got their mother's complexion, father's eyes, and maternal grandparents' hair. And a mix of features form all of those three, plus paternal grandparents.

Next (and final) chapter will hopefully be up around next week. I thank everyone who has reviewed so far.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Closure

**Notes: **Very sorry for the slow update; thanks for waiting! But I'd also like to remind people I don't appreciate spam just telling me to hurry up and write; this is my story and I'll write it at my own pace. Thank you!

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds.

* * *

><p>Ruka closed her eyes.<p>

Water burbled happily down the stream at her side. She swore she heard wind chimes, but that could have easily been a group of Spirits conversing in their own special language. The youngest Signer soaked in the sounds.

The Signer opened her eyes quickly, hearing a familiar and welcome sound behind her. She whipped around.

A small brown puff ball looked up at her with shiny green eyes. It chirped as she knelt down next to it.

For the first time in what felt like a long time, her face broke into a small smile.

"Kuribon!" she exclaimed softly. The twelve-year-old gathered the friendly Spirit into her small arms.

The teal-haired girl recalled the last time she had been here. Rua would love this place. A lump grew in her throat.

Rua was halfway across the world. Her own parents feared her.

She held onto Kuribon ever tighter as if it were a security blanket, letting a few tears escape her golden-grey eyes.

* * *

><p>Aki and Crow arrived at the hall in front of their companion's room in the hospital. The carrot-top glanced around and frowned. Jack and Yusei were present, and he knew Bruno was at his part-time job; the mechanic was of course concerned about Ruka, but he didn't know her as well as the others did. The ginger realized what was off to him.<p>

"Um, what happened to Ruka's parents?" he asked. Jack and Yusei exchanged a look.

After a short beat, Yusei shook his head. "That's not important right now," he said. "I called Rua's school; he'll be here by tomorrow morning."

Crow tilted his head to one side in slight confusion. "Okay…that makes sense, I guess. But they let him just drop everything and come here?"

Jack sighed in slight irritation and began to explain the situation to his friend. Aki hung back, having interpreted most of it. Yusei glanced at her. "You okay now?" he asked sincerely. The redhead gave back a weak smile and nodded her head.

Suddenly, Yusei felt his cellphone vibrate. He reached into his pocket and flipped it open. Aki watched him curiously as the tan duelist read the text, a fixed countenance on his face. He closed the phone with an audible _snap, _interrupting Jack and Crow; the two men who lived with Yusei turned to look at him.

"What was that?" Crow asked. Yusei shook his head.

"Trouble," he sighed.

* * *

><p><em>You had no right.<em>

"Was that really necessary, Kana?" sighed Kouhei to his wife in slight exasperation as she shut her sleek, expensive cell phone shut and dropped it in her briefcase. The two adults were had been sitting in their living room in silence when Rua's academy had called them to verify Rua was allowed to come back to New Domino due to a family emergency.

The blonde mother leaned her head back and closed her eyes. "Well, it's true, isn't it?" she said stubbornly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Rua is _our_ son; not theirs. If we wanted him home, we could have called the school ourselves." Kana tried to ignore the small voice in the back of her head telling her that Yusei Fudo, Jack Atlas, and those other teenagers _did _spend quite a lot of time with her kids.

"And yet you allowed Rua to come home?" The black-haired man raised an eyebrow.

"What else could I do? I was actually hoping Rua would _want_ to finish his studies and stay there; hopefully, Ruka's case isn't anything serious." There was a beat of silence. Kana seemed to make a resolve.

"I'm calling him."

"Kana…"

"Those 'Signers' have more influence over him than we do. I want to…I want to ask him something." The woman gently clicked her briefcase open and reached inside.

* * *

><p>"Jet lag bites," Tenpei groaned, half asleep, his head resting on the table. Rua, Tenpei, and their teacher escort were on their way to New Domino city, but at the moment the plane had taken a rest stop at a different airport than the New Domino one. They had been grabbing a bite to eat in the food court.<p>

The teacher looked down at her wristwatch absently. "Mmm hmm," she muttered, before standing up abruptly. "Will you boys be okay for a few minutes? I need to go get something."

"Sure, Itou-sensei," Rua replied. The worry line between his eyebrows had not disappeared since the three had left the Academy.

"Stay right here, you hear me?" she chided, walking away from her students as she spoke. In a blink she was gone from their line of sight.

"Should she be doing that…? I mean, leaving us alone in a public place when she's responsible for us?" Tenpei mused aloud through a yawn. His teal-haired best friend was silent. "Rua?" The brunette turned so he could face the addressed. His friend had bags under his eyes.

"Hey, I'm worried too," Tenpei told him sincerely. "Do you…do you think she'll be okay? Ruka, I mean."

There was a lengthy pause as Rua thought of how to reply. "I –" he was cut off by a snore. Turning to his right, he saw Tenpei had fallen asleep, though a look of concern was still half on his face.

Rua cracked a smile and yawned as well, stretching his arms. He felt like nodding off himself, but if he did they'd probably get mugged in their sleep or something. The adolescent felt his head leaning forward –

_Sono te nobashi, te mabayui ashita o tsukamitore…_

Rua was jolted awake by his own ringtone, and he momentarily regretted choosing such a high-energy song for his cellphone.

Reaching into his pocket, the twin pulled out his phone and flipped it open without looking at the caller id.

"Hello?" He swallowed a yawn.

"Rua-chan?"

There was an awkward pause as Rua took a moment to identify the voice on the other end. "Oh! Mom! Mom? Uh, hi?"

"Rua-chan, just _why _are you leaving the academy?" Kana asked on the other end. Her voice sounded somewhat agitated.

Another pause as the golden-eyed boy digested his mother's words, followed by a confused sentence.

"Huh? But…of course I came back! The school was okay with it – and why didn't you call me? I got the call from Yusei, instead."

It was the wrong thing to say. Rua felt his mother freeze up on the other side of the line at the mention of the marked Signer.

"Rua, please…everything's fine here. We have it under control," Kana pleaded weakly, her voice different than it had been moments before. "Go back to the academy."

But Rua had to rally back; he could not abandon his sister.

"Mom, no! Ruka needs me – I can fix this!" he protested. Tenpei stirred next to him. Kana sighed once again.

"Rua, enough with it – this is a _medical_ condition your sister has, and doctors will be the ones fixing it," the twin's mother said shakily on the other line. She decided to go for broke. She couldn't pin why the whole thing with Rua coming home was bothering her so much.

Was it perhaps…because _they _hadn't thought to send for him first thing? That she felt those Signers were trying to take her job as a parent, a job she didn't want to admit she and her husband had somewhat neglected?

Either way…

"Rua, if you really loved your father and I, you would stay where you are!" the words rushed out of the receiver and into Rua's skull as he evaluated the gravity of what his mother had just said.

All that remained on the line was dead air as Rua worked up his words.

Finally, the young duelist responded slowly and maturely, "I…I do love you guys, but I love my sister more."

There was nothing left to say as the teal-haired boy ended the call. He leaned his head back against the booth headrest, his thoughts and emotions spinning – something had been…_off_ about his mother. She was usually collected and perky, though not always reliable. He wondered if something had rubbed her the wrong way. The boy couldn't contemplate anymore as a yawn consumed him.

The teacher returned to her two students, a magazine in her hand. "Boys, the flight leaves in…" Itou-sensei stopped as she saw the boys; Tenpei, dead asleep with his head on the table, and Rua, also sleeping. She smiled and walked over to wake them.

* * *

><p>A deathly silence had overtaken the penthouse.<p>

Kana's eyes were far-off as she gazed out the window, her mind processing things a mile a minute. Kouhei came up behind her slowly; he had been able to hear the whole phone conversation. The black-haired father had felt as if he should intercede, but he was as confused about his children as Kana was.

"Kana?"

His wife tucked a strand of her wavy, caramel hair behind her ear. Kana turned to her husband.

"He was…so mature." Tears appeared at the corners of her eyes. "Kouhei…when exactly did he grow up?"

He couldn't answer the question. The couple stood in silence, thinking how much of their children's' lives they had missed out on due to business.

Kouhei's phone rang. He was freed from his trance-like state. Getting his phone, he glanced down at the caller id.

It was their work; there were no doubt checking if the two were on their way to the meeting in France. It was the deciding moment as the parents stood there, for once in a long while not sure what to do.

* * *

><p>The sky was dark outside. Rua, Yusei decided, would be here in a number of hours. He looked down at Ruka.<p>

Though the doctors said she was in a coma, she looked harmlessly asleep, save for the sad crease between her eyebrows.

Someone had taken her hair out of its pigtails. Aki had never seen the girl's hair loose before; it looked pretty, she decided. She squeezed Ruka's hand, the only form of comfort she knew how to give when the recipient was unconscious. Slowly, she got up and exited the room, Yusei and Crow behind her.

_Rua…please…I hope this works._

* * *

><p>AN: Okay, so there's going to be one more chapter, though I had originally planned only three. Can't make any promises on when it will be up, though. Also, you can accept it'll be somewhat shorter than the first three chapters. Also, please don't hate the twins' parents; they are just very confused people trying to figure out a lot in life at the moment. Please review!<p>

Oh and also, Rua's ringtone is _Believe in Nexus_. Kudos if you figured it out!


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